Dialect translator for a speech application environment extended for interactive text exchanges

ABSTRACT

The present solution includes a real-time automated communication method. In the method, a real-time communication session can be established between a text exchange client and a speech application. A translation table can be identified that includes multiple entries, each entry including a text exchange item and a corresponding conversational translation item. A text exchange message can be received that was entered into a text exchange client. Content in the text exchange message that matches a text exchange item in the translation table can be substituted with a corresponding conversational item. The translated text exchange message can be sent as input to a voice server. Output from the voice server can be used by the speech application, which performs an automatic programmatic action based upon the output.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of automated speech systemsand, more particularly, to a dialect translator for a speech applicationenvironment that is extended for interactive text exchanges, where thedialect translator dynamically translates text-based input includingtext exchange slang and emotes into a speech dialect consumable by avoice server.

2. Description of the Related Art

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are often used to provideautomated customer service via a voice channel of a communicationnetwork. IVR systems permit routine customer requests to be quickly,efficiently, and automatically handled. When a request is non-routine orwhen a caller has difficulty with the IVR system, a transfer can be madefrom the IVR system to a customer service representative. Even whenhuman interactions are needed, the IVR system can obtain necessarypreliminary information, such as an account number and a reason for acall, which can ensure callers are routed to an appropriate human agentand to ensure human-to-human interactive time is minimized. Successfuluse of IVR systems allows call centers to be minimally manned whilecustomers are provided a high level of service with relatively lowperiods spent in waiting queues.

IVR systems, especially robust ones having natural languageunderstanding (NLU) capabilities and/or large context free grammars,represent a huge financial and technological investment. This investmentincludes costs for purchasing and maintaining IVR infrastructurehardware, IVR infrastructure software, and voice applications executingupon this infrastructure. An additional and significant reoccurring costcan relate to maintaining a sufficient number of voice quality channelsto handle anticipated call volumes. Further, each of these channelsconsumes an available port of a voice server, which has a limited numberof costly ports. Each channel also consumes a quantity of bandwidthneeded for establishing a voice quality channel between a caller and theIVR system.

One innovative solution for extending an IVR infrastructure to permittext-based interactive services is detailed in co-pending patentapplication Ser. No. 11/612,996 entitled “Using an Automated SpeechApplication Environment to Automatically Provide Text-Based InteractiveServices.” More specifically, the co-pending application teaches that achat robot object, referred to as a Chatbot, can dynamically converttext received from a text exchange client to input consumable by a voiceserver and can dynamically convert output from the voice server to textappropriately formatted for the client. From a perspective of the voiceserver, the text-based interactions, with the text exchange client arehandled in the same manner and with the same hardware/software that isused to handle voice-based interactions.

Dynamic conversions between a text exchange client, such as a chatclient, and an IVR infrastructure are complicated by an existence of atext exchange dialect. That is, a text exchange dialect has evolved thatis not easily converted into speech phrases comprehensible or by astandard speech recognition engine or consumable by a standard IVRinfrastructure. For example, slang such as “cu l8r” for “see you later”and “brb” for “be right back” is commonly utilized during text exchangecommunication sessions. Additionally, special character sequences uniqueto text exchanges, such as emoticons like ;˜) and :˜0, need to behandled. No known software products exist that dynamically convert textexchange input into input able to be consumed by a voice server, nor dosolutions exist that dynamically handle dialect translations for thesame purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A dialect translator that functions as a pre- and post-processor for aspeech application environment, where the speech application environmenthas been extended for text-based interactive services. The speechapplication environment can include a Chatbot server, which manages chatrobot objects or Chatbots. Chatbots can dynamically convert textreceived form a text exchange client to input consumable by a voiceserver and to dynamically convert voice markup to text appropriatelyformatted for the text exchange client. In this environment, the dialecttranslator normalizes text from a text exchange dialect to standardtextual phrases of an associated spoken language, such as English. Thedialect translator can also convert textual output derived from outputof a voice server into a text exchange dialect expected by a textexchange user.

The present invention can be implemented in accordance with numerousaspects consistent with the material presented herein. For example, oneaspect of the present invention can include a real-time automatedcommunication method. In the method, a real-time communication sessioncan be established between a text exchange client and a speechapplication. A translation table can be identified that includesmultiple entries, each entry including a text exchange item and acorresponding conversational translation item. A text exchange messagecan be received that was entered into a text exchange client. Content inthe text exchange message that matches a text exchange item in thetranslation table can be substituted with a corresponding conversationalitem. The text exchange message can be dynamically converted to a voicemessage consumable by the speech application. The voice message can beconveyed to the speech application, which performs an automaticprogrammatic action based upon the conveyed voice message.

Another aspect of the present invention can include a method forextending a voice server to add text exchange capabilities. The methodcan include the steps of establishing a real-time text exchangeconnection between a text exchange client and a Chatbot server andestablishing a real-time voice connection between the Chatbot server anda speech application. An interactive dialogue can be conducted over thetext exchange connection and the voice connection between the textexchange client and the speech application. During the interactivedialogue, text exchange interactions can be dynamically andautomatically converted to voice interactions before being conveyed fromthe text exchange client to the speech application. Text exchangespecific language in the text exchange interactions can be dynamicallytranslated into conversational language that is included in the voiceinteractions.

Still another aspect of the present invention can include a system forproviding text exchange services using a speech application environment.The system can include a text exchange client, a speech applicationenvironment, a Chatbot server, and a dialect translator. The textexchange client can send and receive real-time text exchanges over atext exchange channel. The speech application environment can execute anautomated speech response application that permits users to interact inreal-time over a voice channel. The Chatbot server can establish acommunication session involving the text exchange client and theautomated speech response system. The Chatbot server can dynamicallyconvert messages between a voice modality and a text exchange modalityduring the communication session in a manner transparent to the textexchange client and the automated speech response application. Thedialect translator can dynamically detect text exchange specificlanguage contained in message from the text exchange client. Detectedlanguage can be converted from the text exchange language intocorresponding conversational language. The converted messages receivedby the automated speech response system can include the conversationalcontent.

It should be noted that various aspects of the invention can beimplemented as a program for controlling computing equipment toimplement the functions described herein, or a program for enablingcomputing equipment to perform processes corresponding to the stepsdisclosed herein. This program may be provided by storing the program ina magnetic disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, any otherrecording medium, or can also be provided as a digitally encoded signalconveyed via a carrier wave. The described program can be a singleprogram or can be implemented as multiple subprograms, each of whichinteract within a single computing device or interact in a distributedfashion across a network space.

The method detailed herein can also be a method performed at least inpart by a service agent and/or a machine manipulated by a service agentin response to a service request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There are shown in the drawings, embodiments which are presentlypreferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is notlimited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system that bidirectionallytranslates text exchange language during dynamic interactions between atext exchange client and a speech application in accordance with anembodiment for the inventive arrangements disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram showing interactions between a textexchange client, a Chatbot server, a voice server, and an applicationserver in accordance with an embodiment for the inventive arrangementsdisclosed herein.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system for providing text exchangeservices with dynamic dialect translations using a Chatbot server inaccordance with an embodiment for the inventive arrangements disclosedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 100 that bidirectionallytranslates text exchange language during dynamic interactions between atext exchange client 110 and a speech application 119. System 100permits automated interactions between a text exchange client 110 and aspeech-enabled application 119.

The speech-enabled application 119 can be a VoiceXML application, suchas an application for an Interactive Voice Response System (IVR) oftendeployed at contact centers. The text exchange client interface 110 canbe an interface for any type of communications, text-messaging usingSAMETIME, TRILLIAN, YAHOO! MESSENGER, and the like.

The voice server 118, like most voice servers, can include a text modeinterface 106, which is typically used by developers, systemmaintainers, and/or trainers of a speech recognition engine. Forexample, a set of proprietary, restricted, or standardized (e.g., MRCPv2INTERPRET) Application Program Interfaces (APIs) can be used for theinterface 106. This set of APIs, which are typically not available oraccessible within a production environment, can be enabled to create atext input channel that consumes considerably fewer computing resourcesthat a voice channel, which is typically established with the voiceserver 118 operating in a production environment. In most cases, thetext mode interface 106 is present, but dormant, within production voiceservers 118. Interface 106 can be enabled for text based interactionswith Chatbot server.

Use of interface 106 occurs in a manner transparent to the applicationserver 108 and therefore has no affect on application 119. That is,application 119 and application server 108 remain unaware that the voiceserver 118 is processing text input via interface 106, as opposed tovoice input. The input produced by voice server 118 and sent to Chatbotserver 114 can be the same in either case. Further, the output producedby the application server 108 and sent to the Chatbot server 114 is thesame. Thus, multiple communication sessions, some being text-basedsessions that use interface 106 and others being voice based sessionscan be concurrently handled by application server 108. System 110 can beimplemented without infrastructure changes to application server 108(and without changes to voice server 118 assuming interface 106 ispresent) and without changing code of speech enabled applications 119.This is true, even though the application 119 may lack explicitly codedsupport for text exchange interactions and would be unable to supportsuch interactions without the disclosed invention. Further, the textexchange interface 110 can be any off-the-shelf text exchange software,which needs not be modified to operate as shown in system 100.

In system 100, the Chatbot server 114 can fetch 121 voice markup 123associated with a speech enabled application 119, which it executes. TheChatbot server 114 can also relay textual input 120 from interface 110to send text 122 consumable by voice server 118 via interface 106.Before sending the text 120, the translator 115 in Chatbot server 114can check text 120 for slang or shorthand, which the voice server 118will have trouble with. Any entries found in table 117 can bedynamically translated, which results in text 122. The voice server 118can match the input 122 against a recognition grammar and generate textoutput 124 for the Chatbot server 114.

The Chatbot server 114 can use this output 124 when it executes theapplication. The application 119 processes this output, which canproduce a responsive output, typically in a form of a Voice markupsegment, such as VoiceXML (which can further employ the use of the W3CSpeech Synthesis Markup Language or SSML). When performing text exchangeoperations, normal speech synthesis operations performed by the voiceserver 118 can be bypassed. The Chatbot server 114 can dynamicallyconvert the responsive output from the markup into textual output 126,which interface 110 handles. For example, textual content containedbetween markup tags can be extracted from the application 119 markup(i.e., the markup tags can be omitted) and included within a text 126message. Before text 126 is sent, however, the translator 115 canconvert automatically generated text to text exchange language (i.e.,slang, shorthand, emotes) based upon table 117.

As noted above, the Chatbot server 114 is capable of handling dynamictranslations between a text exchange dialect and speaking dialect usinga translator 115. The translator 115 can include the translation table117 that relates text exchange phrases with voice phrases. Table 117 caninclude entries for emoticons, special character sequences, textexchange slang, and the like. Table 117 can permit users to add, edit,and delete entries. Additionally, each table 117 entry can be associatedwith a translation direction. Translation directions includebidirectional, from text exchange to voice only, and from voice to textexchange only.

For example, table 117 shows an entry of “404” associated with “Ihaven't a clue” that is to be translated unidirectionally from textexchange to voice only. Bidirectional entries in table 117 include “Ty”associated with “Thank You” and “Yw” associated with “You're welcome.”

In one arrangement, entries in table 117 are permitted to be overloaded,where a correct entry for a situation (or dialogue context) is utilized.For example, the text exchange input of “:˜)” can translate into voicephrases of “yes”, “thank you”, or “I am satisfied.” The first entry canbe a default translation. Subsequent translations can be used in orderwhen voice server 118 fails to understand a translated response.

For example, a voice server received response of “Yes” translated form“:˜)” may result in voice server 118 generating an out-of-contextresponse (e.g., “I do not understand, please try again.”) Instead ofsending this out-of-context response to interface 110, a nexttranslation (if available) can be automatically provided to the voiceserver 118. For example, “Thank you” can be provided. If this is notunderstood, then “I am satisfied” can be provided. Only after none ofthe translations are accepted by the voice server 118, will anout-of-context response be sent to interface 110. Appreciably, neitherthe chat server 114 nor the interface 110 need be aware of contextuallypermitted entries for a given dialogue context (of application 119) forthis translation overloading capability to be utilized, which can besignificant in order for system 100 to operate in a manner transparentto server 118.

FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram 200 showing interactions between a textexchange client 204, a Chatbot server 206, a voice server 208, and anapplication server 209 in accordance with an embodiment of the inventivearrangements disclosed herein.

The voice server 208 can include a text input API, which is typicallyused by developers, system maintainers, and/or trainers of a speechrecognition engine. This set of APIs, which are typically not availableor accessible within a production environment, can be enabled to permitthe voice server 208 to directly consume text, which requiresconsiderably fewer computing resources than those needed to processvoice input, which server 208 typically receives.

As shown, client 204 can send a request 210 to Chatbot server 206 toinitialize a text modality channel. Chatbot server 206 can send achannel initialization message 212 to voice server 208, to establish asession. Server 208 can positively respond, causing a channel 214 to beestablished between servers 206 and 208. Chatbot server 206 can thenestablish the requested text channel 216 with client 204. After step216, the Chatbot server 206 can send a request 217 to application server209, which causes a speech enabled application to be instantiated. Thatis, application markup 220 can be conveyed to Chatbot server 206 forexecution.

Application initiated prompt 221 can occur, when the Chatbot Server 206executes the speech enabled application 119. Server 206 can convert 222markup provided by application 119 into pure text, represented by textprompt 224, which is sent to client 204. For example, prompt 221 can bewritten in markup and can include:<prompt>text context</prompt>.

The converting 222 can extract the text context (omitting the markuptags). The text context can be compared against a translationdictionary. Matching context can be dynamically translated. For example,“Thank You” can be translated into “ty,” which can be conveyed in prompt224 to client 204.

Client 204 can respond 226 to the prompt via the text channel. Chatbotserver 206 can translate 227 the response 226 to a response 228, whichis sent to voice server 208. The translation only occurs when a textexchange phrase in a translation dictionary corresponds to a voicephase. For example, “l8r” in text exchange dialect can be translated to“later” or “exit program” in a dialect understood by voice server 208.The voice server 208 can match response 228 against a speech grammar viaprogrammatic action 230, which results in text result 232. The voiceserver 208 can convey text result 232 to the Chatbot server 206. Chatbotserver 206 uses this output 232 when it executes the application logic243 of executing Application 119, which results in markup beinggenerated. The Chatbot server 206 can convert 236 textual contentcontained within generated markup into a text result 237. The textresults 237 can include text exchange specific translations (i.e.,normal English words and/or phrases can be translated into text exchangeslang or emotes) can be handled by the Chatbot server 206.

Interactions can continue in this fashion until client 204 sends arequest 238 to end the communication session. Chatbot server 206 canresponsively close 240 the channel between it and voice server 208. TheChatbot server 206 can also close 242 the text exchange channel betweenit and client 204, at which point the communication session isterminated.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system for providing text exchangeservices with dynamic dialect translations using a Chatbot server 320 inaccordance with an embodiment for the inventive arrangements disclosedherein. The translator 323 can correspond to translator 115 of system100 and can be associated with a translation table (not shown).

The system can include a network 360, which communicatively linkscommunication device 310, Chatbot server 320, voice server 330,application server 340, and enterprise server 350. Network 360 caninclude any of a variety of components, wired and/or wireless, thattogether permit digitally encoded information contained within carrierwaves to be conveyed from any communicatively linked component to anyother communicatively linked component.

The communication device 310 can be any communication device linking acustomer 302 to network 360. Devices 310 can include, for example,mobile telephones, line-based phones, computers, notebooks, computingtablets, personal data assistants (PDAs), wearable computing devices,entertainment systems, interactive media devices, and the like. Specificcategories of devices 310 include a text exchange device 312, a voicecommunication device 314, and a multi mode device 316.

A text exchange device 312 is a computing device capable of real-timeinteractive text exchanges. These text exchanges include onlinechatting, instant messaging, and text messaging. A communication device314 can be any device capable of real-time voice communication overnetwork 360. This includes VoIP based communications, traditionalcircuit switched communications, two-way radio communications, and thelike. A multi mode device 316 is a device capable of engaging in textexchanges and in voice communications. Some multi mode devices 316 arerestricted to one mode of communication at a time, while others are ableto communicate across multiple modes concurrently.

When performing text exchanges, device 310 can use an interface 318. Theinterface 318 can show a running textual dialogue and can include asection to enter new text. Interface 318 can be an interface for aninstant messaging client, a chat client, and/or a text-messaging client.

Chatbot server 320 can be a VoiceXML server or equivalent device thatdynamically converts text exchange messages from device 310 to messagesconsumable by voice server 330. Use of a text input API 344, which letsvoice server 330 accept text, may permit text from device 310 to bedirectly consumed by voice server 330. Chatbot server 320 can alsodynamically convert output from voice server 330 to output consumable bythe speech application, and then making it presentable within interface318.

For each managed communication session, the Chatbot server 320 caninstantiate a Chatbot object 324. The Chatbot object 324 can include aSIP servlet and one or more interpreters, such as a Call ControlExtensible Markup Language (CCXML) interpreter, a Voice ExtensibleMarkup Language (VoiceXLM) interpreter, and Extensible Hypertext MarkupLanguage (XML) plus voice profiles (X+V) interpreter, a SpeechApplication Language Tags (SALT) interpreter, a Media Resource ControlProtocol (MCRP) interpreter, a customized markup interpreter, and thelike. The SIP servlet can map incoming SIP requests to appropriateinterpreters.

A communication session handled by Chatbot object 324 can involvemultiple different communication channels, such as channel 370 andchannel 372. Channel 370 can be a communication channel establishedbetween Chatbot server 320 and device 310. Channel 372 can be acommunication channel established between Chatbot server 320 and voiceserver 330. Appreciably, application server 340 is not aware of acommunication modality and channel type that a customer 302 uses tocommunicate with server 320. A special text input API 344 can be used topermit voice server 330 to directly consume textual input provided byChatbot server 320.

The conversion engine 322 of server 320 can perform any necessaryconversions to adapt output from text exchange device 312 to inputconsumable by voice server 330. Typically, no significant conversionsare necessary for text consumed by the voice server 330, which providesaccess to text mode interaction functions via API 344. Appreciably, textmode interaction functions are typically used by developers during atesting and development stage, but are being used here at runtime topermit the voice server 330 to directly handle text. For example, theInternet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard Media Resource ControlProtocol version 2 (MRCPv2) contains a text mode interpretation functioncalled INTERPRET for the Speech Recognizer Resource, which would permitthe voice server 330 to directly handle text.

The translator 323 of server 320 can perform translations between a textexchange dialect and a voice dialect more easily understood by IVRapplication 342. For example, phrases, emotes, and special charactersand/or their corresponding phrases can be automatically detected andsubstituted for one another during a communication session. For example,text exchange expression entered in interface 318 of “ty” can beconverted by translator 323 into “thank you,” which is conveyed overchannel 372 in a voice format. Further, the translator 323 can detect anapplication 342 generated phase of “You are welcome,” can match thisphase to a corresponding text exchange phase of “Yw,” which is conveyedover channel 370 and presented in interface 318.

The application server 340 will typically generate voice markup output,such as VoiceXML output, which a voice server 330 converts to audiooutput. The conversion engine 322 can extract text content from thevoice markup and can convey the extracted text to communication device310 overchannel 370.

Application server 340 can be an application server that utilizedmodular components of a standardized runtime platform. The applicationserver 340 can represent a middleware server of a multi-tierenvironment. The runtime platform can provide functionality fordeveloping distributed, multi-tier, Web-based applications. The runtimeplatform can also include a standard set of services, applicationprogramming interfaces, and protocols. That is, the runtime platform canpermit a developer to create an enterprise application that isextensible and portable between multiple platforms. The runtime platformcan include a collection of related technology specifications thatdescribe required application program interfaces (APIs) and policies forcompliance.

In one embodiment, the runtime platform and be a JAVA 2 PLATFORMENTERPRISE EDITION (J2EE) software platform. Accordingly, theapplication server 340 can be a J2EE compliant application server, suchas a WEBSPHERE application server from International Business MachinesCorporation of Armonk, N.Y., a BEA WEBLOGIC application server from BEASystems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., a JBOSS application server fromJBoss, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga., a JOnAS application server from theObjectWeb Consortium, and the like. The runtime platform is not to beconstrued as limited in this regard and other software platforms, suchas the .NET software platform, and contemplated herein.

The IVR application 342 can be an application that permits callers tointeract and receive information from a database of an enterprise server350. Access to the voiceXML server 320 (which has been extended forChatbot 320) can accept user input using touch-tone signals, voice inputand text input. The IVR application 342 can provide information to theuser in the form of a single VoiceXML application that can be used byany modality, including DTMF, voice, and chat. The voice markup can alsobe directly conveyed to conversion engine 322, where it is converted totext presentable in interface 318.

The IVR application 342 can present a series of prompts to a user andcan receive and process prompt responses in accordance with previouslyestablished dialogue menus. Speech processing operations, such astext-to-speech operations, speech-to-text operations, calleridentification operations, and voice authorization operations can beprovided by a remotely located voice server 330. Without theintervention of Chatbot server 320, IVR application 342 would be unableto interact with a text exchange device 312, since it lacks nativecoding for handling text exchange input/output.

The present invention may be realized in hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software. The present invention may berealized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or in adistributed fashion where different elements are spread across severalinterconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or otherapparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein issuited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a generalpurpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loadedand executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out themethods described herein.

The present invention also may be embedded in a computer programproduct, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation ofthe methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer systemis able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the presentcontext means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of aset of instructions intended to cause a system having an informationprocessing capability to perform a particular function either directlyor after either or both of the following: a) conversion to anotherlanguage, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different materialform.

1. A method comprising acts of: establishing a real-time communicationsession between a text exchange client and a speech enabled application;identifying a translation table that includes a plurality of entries,each entry including a text exchange item and a correspondingconversational translation item; receiving a text exchange message thatwas entered into a text exchange client; detecting at least one textexchange item in the text exchange message, which corresponds to anentry included in the translation table; in the text exchange message,substituting a corresponding conversational translation item for eachdetected text exchange item; sending the substitute message to a textinput interface of a voice server to be processed; receiving, from thespeech enabled application, an automatic output message responsive tothe text entered into the text exchange client; and sending output textrelated to the automatic output message to the text exchange client,wherein the substituting act occurs in a manner transparent to the textexchange client and to the speech enabled application.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a user of the text exchange client is permitted tomodify entries of the translation table.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein text exchange items of at least one entry in the translationtable is an emoticon.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein text exchangeitems of at least one entry in the translation table is slang.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the text exchange client is an instantmessaging interface, a chat interface, and/or a text-messaging exchangeinterface.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech enabledapplication is a VoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent textexchange capability.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the text exchangeinterface is an off-the-shelf unmodified client, and wherein the speechenabled application is an unmodified application configured to executein a VoiceXML server.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising actsof: detecting at least one conversational translation item in theautomatic output message, which corresponds to an entry included in thetranslation table; in the automatic output message, substituting acorresponding text exchange item for each detected conversationaltranslation item to generate the output text.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein said acts of claim 1 are acts performed automatically by atleast one machine in accordance with at least one computer programhaving a plurality of code sections that are executable by the at leastone machine.
 10. A method for extending a voice server to add textexchange capabilities, the method comprising acts of: establishing areal-time interactive dialog between a text exchange client and a speechapplication executing in a VoiceXML server; during the interactivedialogue, dynamically translating text entered into the text exchangeclient that is grammatically part of a text exchange specific languageinto corresponding text that is grammatically part of a conversationallanguage using a translation table which is configurable by a user ofthe text exchange client; sending the corresponding text that isgrammatically part of a conversational language to the speechapplication for automatic output generation; receiving, from the speechapplication, an automatic output message responsive to the text enteredinto the text exchange client; and sending output text related to theautomatic output message to the text exchange client.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising dynamically converting the automatic outputmessage received from the speech application to text output that isgrammatically part of a conversational language, and dynamicallytranslating the text output into the output text that is grammaticallypart of the text exchange specific language.
 12. The method of claim 10,wherein the text exchange specific language includes emoticons.
 13. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the text exchange specific language includestext exchange slang.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamicallytranslating the text entered into the text exchange client occurs in amanner transparent to the text exchange client and to the speech enabledapplication.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the text exchangeinterface is an off-the-shelf unmodified client, and wherein the speechenabled application is an unmodified application configured to executein a VoiceXML server.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein the speechapplication is a VoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent textexchange capability.
 17. The method of claim 10, wherein said acts ofclaim 10 are acts performed automatically by at least one machine inaccordance with at least one computer program having a plurality of codesections that are executable by the at least one machine.
 18. A systemfor providing text exchange services, the system comprising: a textexchange client configured to send and receive real-time text exchangesover a text exchange channel; a speech application environmentconfigured to execute an automated speech response application thatpermits users to interact in real-time over a voice channel andgenerates an automatic response to a text exchange message received fromthe text exchange client; a dialect translator configured to dynamicallydetect text exchange specific language contained in messages from thetext exchange client, and to convert the text exchange language intocorresponding conversational language, wherein converted messagesreceived by the automated speech response system include conversationallanguage; and a Chatbot server configured to establish a communicationsession involving the text exchange client and the automated speechresponse application, the chatbot server being configured to: receive,from the automated speech response application, the automatic responseto a text exchange message and send output text related to the automaticresponse to the text exchange client.
 19. The system of claim 18,wherein the dialect translator is configured to convert the textexchange language into corresponding conversational language using atranslation table, and wherein the translation table is configurable bya user of the text exchange client.
 20. The system of claim 19, whereinthe text exchange client is an off-the-shelf unmodified interfaceclient, and wherein the automated speech response application is anunmodified VoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent exchangecapability.
 21. The method of claim 1, further comprising acts of:receiving the substitute message at the voice server; and at the voiceserver, matching the substitute message against a speech grammar.
 22. Atleast one computer-readable recording medium encoded with a plurality ofinstructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform amethod comprising acts of: establishing a real-time communicationsession between a text exchange client and a speech enabled application;identifying a translation table that includes a plurality of entries,each entry including a text exchange item and a correspondingconversational translation item; receiving a text exchange message thatwas entered into a text exchange client; detecting at least one textexchange item in the text exchange message, which corresponds to anentry included in the translation table; in the text exchange message,substituting a corresponding conversational translation item for eachdetected text exchange item; sending the substitute message to a textinput interface of a voice server to be processed; receiving, from thespeech enabled application, an automatic output message responsive tothe text entered into the text exchange client; and sending output textrelated to the automatic output message to the text exchange client,wherein substituting a corresponding conversation translation item foreach detected text exchange occurs in a manner transparent to the textexchange client and to the speech enabled application.
 23. The at leastone computer-readable recording medium of claim 22, wherein the textexchange item of at least one entry in the translation table is anemoticon.
 24. The at least one computer-readable recording medium ofclaim 22, wherein the text exchange item of at least one entry in thetranslation table is slang.
 25. The at least one computer-readablerecording medium of claim 22, wherein the text exchange client is aninstant messaging interface, a chat interface, and/or a text-messagingexchange interface.
 26. The at least one computer-readable recordingmedium of claim 22, wherein the speech enabled application is a VoiceXMLbased application that lacks an inherent text exchange capability. 27.The at least one computer-readable recording medium of claim 22, whereinthe text exchange client is an off-the-shelf unmodified client, andwherein the speech enabled application is an unmodified applicationconfigured to execute in a VoiceXML server.
 28. The at least onecomputer-readable recording of claim 22, wherein the method furthercomprises acts of: detecting at least one conversational translationitem in the automatic output message, which corresponds to an entryincluded in the translation table; in the automatic output message,substituting a corresponding text exchange item for each detectedconversational translation item to generate the output text.
 29. The atleast one computer-readable recording medium of claim 22, wherein themethod further comprises acts of: receiving the substitute message atthe voice server; and at the voice server, matching the substitutemessage against a speech grammar.
 30. The system of claim 18, whereinthe text exchange client is an off-the-shelf unmodified client, andwherein the automated speech response application is an unmodifiedVoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent text exchangecapability.
 31. The system of claim 18, wherein the dialect translatoruses a translation table to convert messages, and wherein at least oneentry of the translation table comprises an emoticon.
 32. The system ofclaim 18, wherein the dialect translator uses a translation table toconvert messages, and wherein at least one entry of the translationtable comprises slang.
 33. The system of claim 18, wherein the textexchange client is an instant messaging interface, a chat interface,and/or a text-messaging exchange interface.
 34. The system of claim 18,wherein the automated speech response application is a VoiceXML basedapplication that lacks an inherent text exchange capability.
 35. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the text exchange item of at least one entryin the translation table is an emoticon.
 36. The method of claim 2,wherein the text exchange item of at least one entry in the translationtable is slang.
 37. The method of claim 2, wherein the text exchangeclient is an instant messaging interface, a chat interface, and/or atext-messaging exchange interface.
 38. The method of claim 2, whereinthe speech enabled application is a VoiceXML based application thatlacks an inherent text exchange capability.
 39. The method of claim 2,wherein the text exchange client is an off-the-shelf unmodified client,and wherein the speech enabled application is an unmodified applicationconfigured to execute in a VoiceXML server.
 40. The method of claim 2,further comprising acts of: detecting at least one conversationaltranslation item in the automatic output message, which corresponds toan entry included in the translation table; in the automatic outputmessage, substituting a corresponding text exchange item for eachdetected conversational translation item to generate the output text.41. The method of claim 2, wherein said acts of claim 2 are actsperformed automatically by at least one machine in accordance with atleast one computer program having a plurality of code sections that areexecutable by the at least one machine.
 42. At least onecomputer-readable recording medium encoded with a plurality ofinstructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform amethod for extending a voice server to add text exchange capabilities,the method comprising acts of: establishing a real-time interactivedialogue between a text exchange client and a speech applicationexecuting on a VoiceXML server; during the interactive dialogue,dynamically translating text entered into the text exchange client thatis grammatically part of a text exchange specific language intocorresponding text that is grammatically part of a conversationallanguage using a translation table which is configurable by a user ofthe text exchange client; sending the corresponding text that isgrammatically part of a conversational language to the speechapplication for automatic output generation; receiving, from the speechapplication, an automatic output message responsive to the text enteredinto the text exchange client; and sending output text related to theautomatic output message to the text exchange client.
 43. The at leastone computer-readable recording medium of claim 42, wherein the methodfurther comprises: dynamically converting the automatic output messagereceived from the speech application to text output that isgrammatically part of a conversational language; and dynamicallytranslating the text output into the output text that is grammaticallypart of the text exchange specific language.
 44. The at least onecomputer-readable recording medium of claim 42, wherein the textexchange item of at least one entry in the translation table includesemoticons.
 45. The at least one computer-readable recording medium ofclaim 42, wherein the text exchange item of at least one entry in thetranslation table is slang.
 46. The at least one computer-readablerecording medium of claim 42, wherein the text exchange client is aninstant messaging interface, a chat interface, and/or a text-messagingexchange interface.
 47. The at least one computer-readable recordingmedium of claim 42, wherein the speech application is a VoiceXML basedapplication that lacks an inherent text exchange capability.
 48. The atleast one computer-readable recording medium of claim 42, wherein thetext exchange client is an off-the-shelf unmodified client, and whereinthe speech application is an unmodified application configured toexecute in a VoiceXML server.
 49. The system of claim 19, wherein thetext exchange client is an off-the-shelf unmodified client, and whereinthe automated speech response application is an unmodified VoiceXMLbased application that lacks an inherent text exchange capability. 50.The system of claim 19, wherein at least one entry of the translationtable comprises an emoticon.
 51. The system of claim 19, wherein atleast one entry of the translation table comprises slang.
 52. The systemof claim 19, wherein the text exchange client is an instant messaginginterface, a chat interface, and/or a text-messaging exchange interface.53. The system of claim 19, wherein the automated speech responseapplication is a VoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent textexchange capability.